What if mistakes aren’t something to hide or avoid. but something we can actually work with?

In this episode of Stories for the Future, I’m joined by Andrea Wodniok for a playful, honest conversation about messiness, inner critics, and learning to screw up happy.

Andrea works with applied improv, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and the Hero’s Journey. She helps people with public speaking, communication, creativity, and confidence. always with a strong focus on playfulness, presence, and being human.

Together, we explore:

This episode is part of the Creative Space series, where I speak with members of the Creative Space community about meaningful work, good lives, and navigating change with curiosity and care for both people and planet.

🔗 Links & resources

Andrea Wodniok

Creative Space

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🌱 About Stories for the Future

Stories for the Future is a podcast about breaking out of echo chambers, building bridges, and finding meaningful work in a changing world.

You can find me and my work here:

If this episode resonated, feel free to share it with someone who might need a reminder not to take everything so seriously. And, as always. don’t be afraid to screw up happy.

In this episode I sit down with Charles Odom, solo founder of Painted Circle, a purpose-driven travel platform that’s reimagining how we book — and experience — travel.

Charles shares why being intentional with our travel choices matters now more than ever, how the traditional tourism model is broken, and what it means to travel in a way that benefits both you and the communities you visit. You’ll also hear the story behind Painted Circle, the surprising economics of travel commissions, and why travel can be one of the most powerful tools we have in a divided world.

This is the first episode in a new mini-series spotlighting members of Creative Space — a global community for solopreneurs, coaches and creatives.

💡 What We Talk About:

🔗 Links & Resources:

🗣️ Let’s Connect:

If this episode resonated with you, please share it with a friend, leave a review, or drop me a message. I’d love to hear your thoughts — and your own stories of intentional travel.

Want to be a guest on Stories for the future: Beyond the Bubble? Send Veslemoy Klavenes-Berge a message on PodMatch.

Geothermal at GeoEnergy 2025, Bergen, Norway

A special episode recorded in Bergen, Norway

Did you know the heat beneath our feet could power communities almost anywhere in the world?

In this episode, I take you with me to GeoEnergy 2025, a conference dedicated entirely to geothermal energy — from shallow systems to deep wells and next-generation closed-loop designs.

I share my own journey into geothermal, what I learned at the conference, and short conversations with people working across the field. If you’re curious about geothermal or work in oil & gas and wonder how your subsurface skills can transfer: this one’s for you.

🔊 Voices from the Episode

Featuring short interviews and insights from:

What You’ll Learn

💛 Thank You

Huge thanks to GEAN, and especially Bjarte Lønøy and Kirsti Midttømme, for welcoming me into the geothermal community at GeoEnergy 2025.

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with someone curious about the future of energy.

Want to be a guest on Stories for the future: Beyond the Bubble? Send Veslemoy Klavenes-Berge a message on PodMatch.

You can always find more information about the podcast and my work on storiesforthefuture.com

🎙️ Episode: Get Off the Fence – Leadership Lessons for a Warming World

What happens when leadership replaces drama with disciplined choice?

This week, I sit down with Charles Sheppard — author, professor of leadership, and founder of World Bridge University — to explore how systems thinking can help us move from confusion to clarity in the face of climate change.

Charlie has spent decades helping people and organizations escape the Drama Triangle — the cycle of Victim, Rescuer, and Adversary — and replace it with The Leadership Triangle: Visionary, Catalyst, and Coach. Now he’s applying that same framework to the climate crisis.

We talk about why so many people still sit on the fence, how disinformation and social media shape our beliefs, and what it means to lead — in our families, workplaces, and communities — when the stakes couldn’t be higher.

Charles Sheppard is a Professor of Leadership, author of Get Off the Fence and Save Your Drama for Your Mama, and founder of World Bridge University. He’s also the cofounder of Arjuna Therapeutics, a biotech company developing breakthrough cancer treatments — and a passionate advocate for systems thinking, education reform, and climate leadership.

Please share it with a friend or colleague who’s ready to get off the fence.

And if you haven’t yet, subscribe to Stories for the Future on your favorite platform — or join me on Substack for behind-the-scenes reflections and future fluency insights.

Want to be a guest on Stories for the future: Beyond the Bubble? Send Veslemoy Klavenes-Berge a message on PodMatch.

You can always find more information about the podcast and my work on storiesforthefuture.com

In this special episode of Stories for the Future, I moderate a panel at the Beyond Oil Conference 2025: Changing Climate Futures conference in Bergen.

Our theme: Actionable Hope in a Changing Climate Future.

We talk about what hope does when the world feels like it’s unraveling — and what it looks like when hope becomes something you act on.

In this episode you’ll hear voices from science, media, creative arts and strategy — and come away with ideas for how to lean into hope, not just as a feeling, but as a modality of change.

Here are the people on the panel and links to their work so you can dive deeper:

Want to be a guest on Stories for the future: Beyond the Bubble? Send Veslemoy Klavenes-Berge a message on PodMatch.

You can always find more information about the podcast and my work on storiesforthefuture.com

What comes to mind when you hear mining? Pollution? Destruction? Now add the word sustainable — does it feel contradictory?

In this episode, I speak with Donna Kitsos, a Singapore-based expert in global markets, energy, and innovation, about what sustainable mining actually means. With a background in coal trading and a career now focused on climate tech and circular solutions, Donna shares how mining is evolving — and why it’s more important than ever to understand that shift.

Donna has 20+ years in financial/physical commodities, venture, and energy innovation. Today, she works with early-stage technologies that transform mining and sustainability from the ground up.

Learn more: prospectinnovation.com

World Economic Forum’s UpLink Mining Challenge

Donna on LinkedIn

Want to be a guest on Stories for the future: Beyond the Bubble? Send Veslemoy Klavenes-Berge a message on PodMatch.

You can always find more information about the podcast and my work on storiesforthefuture.com or vklavenes.substack.com

In this episode of Stories for the Future, I’m joined by storyteller, game designer, and creative force Dain Saint — someone who doesn’t just talk about change, but invites people to practice it through immersive storytelling, collaborative world-building, and art.

We recorded this conversation a few months ago, but it feels even more relevant today. Especially in a time of political tension, uncertainty, and fear, we talk about how imagination, empathy, and interactive experiences can help us stay connected — and prepare us for the future we actually want to live in.

Dain also shares insights from his work in journalism, immersive theatre, and game design — including how changing what it means to “win” the game can fundamentally shift how we live and lead.

We talk about:

🔗 Links & Resources:

Learn more about Dain’s work on his website.

Reckless Magic

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💬 If this episode spoke to you…

Please consider sharing it with someone you think would enjoy it — and leave a quick rating or review on your podcast platform. It really helps the show reach more thoughtful listeners like you.

Want to be a guest on Stories for the future: Beyond the Bubble? Send Veslemoy Klavenes-Berge a message on PodMatch.

You can always find more information about the podcast and my work on storiesforthefuture.com

What if solving climate change starts with better conversations, not just better tech?

In this episode, I talk with Tessa Hartman, a climate anthropologist and facilitator, about why culture shapes how we perceive and respond to climate challenges. We explore how empathy, social norms, and smart design can unlock new ways of working together – even across deep divides.

🎙️ In this episode:

🔗 Resources mentioned:

Tessa Hartman on LinkedIn

Klimaantropologen (in Norwegian)

The Future Panel / Citizen Assembly (English site)

Book: Humankind by Rutger Bregman

Climate designer Katie Patrick

Stories for the Future

Veslemøy’s Substack

🙌 If you enjoyed this episode:

Share it with someone who cares about climate, culture, or community.

Subscribe and leave a review on Apple or Spotify – it helps more than you know!

Want to be a guest on Stories for the future: Beyond the Bubble? Send Veslemoy Klavenes-Berge a message on PodMatch.

You can always find more information about the podcast and my work on storiesforthefuture.com

Do you ever feel like you’re too many things at once – curious about everything, yet unsure how it all fits together?

In this episode, I sit down with writer, speaker, and community-builder Charlie Rogers, whose upcoming book Undefinable Life Design offers a much-needed framework for those of us who resist being put in a box.

Charlie shares:

Whether you’re a creative generalist, a multi-hyphenate, or just someone with 96 browser tabs open at once, this conversation is your permission to stop choosing and start integrating.

Want to be a guest on Stories for the future: Beyond the Bubble? Send Veslemoy Klavenes-Berge a message on PodMatch.

You can always find more information about the podcast and my work on storiesforthefuture.com and vklavenes.substack.com

Mentioned in this episode:

Thanks to Creative Space for supporting this episode! Visit getcreativespace.com

In this episode, I sit down with Morgan DeNicola, Executive Director of the DeNicola Family Foundation, to explore how curiosity, humor, and empathy can create bridges across even the most polarized divides.

We talk about her journey from special education into international diplomacy, what it really means to listen, and how she stays grounded while working on everything from orphanages to conservation projects to cross-cultural negotiation.

🔑 In This Episode, You'll Learn:

🛠️ Resources & Mentions:

The deNicola Family Foundation

Elmwood Park Zoo

The Humpty Dumpty Institute

Morgan on LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok

Want to be a guest on Stories for the future: Beyond the Bubble? Send Veslemoy Klavenes-Berge a message on PodMatch.

You can always find more information about the podcast and my work on storiesforthefuture.com